Global Strike 4 Climate: Big numbers expected across Australia

As many as 200,000 people could strike across Australia today in favour of stronger action on climate change.

Here’s some things that you can action today for a better tomorrow – and most of which you can do in your lunch break

2020 has had a harrowing start. As we experience Australia’s worst fire season in recent history in which we have lost so much as a nation, it’s easy to feel helpless, fatigued and at a loss as to what to do next. We know what’s at stake and the statistics hold with them a particular type of dread for the future. Our social feeds are flooded, people are outraged – and we’ve even disappointed the Grandpa that we all wished we had, David Attenborough, who has lumped us in with the likes of Donald Trump in terms of our current stance of climate denialism.

It’s dire. It’s devastating. It’s embarrassing. It’s overwhelming. And don’t even get me started on the koalas.

But hope is not lost. Never before has Mother Nature heard louder or more fierce cries of her people. Finally, the environment is at the apex of the national agenda - change is coming. While we know mass-scale change needs to happen and we’ve all donated, what do we do next?

More than 30,000 converged in Sydney's CBD to voice their discontent at the government's handling of the bushfire crisis. Image: GettySource:Whimn

In a word: it’s consistency. This is not a January effort; it’s a lifestyle shift. This is our moment in time to change forever, or be forever changed. As former US president Barack Obama so accurately put it: “we are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.”

We unfortunately cannot fight fires with outrage but we can fight climate inaction with our own daily changes. We are all responsible for our planet and what that tomorrow looks like depends on the many small acts of the millions.

So as we crack open the door for the most important decade in civilisation, here are a few things that we can do to make our choices and voices contribute to a viable future – most of which you can make in your lunch break.

Offset your carbon:

Time it takes: 5 minutes

Let’s start off with a super simple one - switching up your web browser. Imagine if you could combat carbon while you worked? You can. Ecosia is a search engine like any other search engine, with one major difference: they use their profits to plant trees. Having contributed to around 800 million trees to date, this is one way your incidental daily habits can make a difference.

You can also offset your personal carbon, donate trees or plant trees on behalf of someone else, with organisations like Carbon Neutral Charitable Fund that give you the ability to support the rejuvenation of natural ecosystems and wildlife with just a few clicks.

Protesters hold up banners during a protest at Kirribilli House on December 19, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Image: Jenny Evans/Getty ImagesSource:Whimn

Rethink your purchases

Time it takes: 5 minutes

It’s been wonderful to see so many brands rallying together, doing flash sales and donating profits – but as a long-term solution, we need to think seriously about our consumption habits as a society. We need to move towards a re-use, recycle and then rebuy economy, as opposed to the other way around. And if you really need it, vote with your wallet. Rally your buying power around ethical and sustainable business, shop locally and spend in areas that are affected by disaster. One of the best initiatives to come from this catesophre has been Turia Pitt’s @spendwithme that is helping to rebuild towns and businesses affected by fire. What we need now is lots more of this.

Set up a regular contributions

Time it takes: 15 minutes

With the money that you are saving from mindful consumption, can you set up a regular contribution to a charity in an affected area? Donating directly to the Rural Fires Services in those towns affected, or by making an ongoing contribution to environmental organisations such as WWF, WIRES or Landcare Australia is a good place to start. The key is just not to make it a one-off, but a regular stream of giving as these communities and organisations need ongoing support well beyond the news-cycle.

There are many ways we can help. Picture: iStockSource:Whimn

Donate blood

Time it takes: 45 minutes including recovery + snack

A big way that we can help right now on a urgently-need basis is by donating blood. We are in a state of emergency as a nation, which, according to the Red Cross, puts a strain on our national blood bank supplies. Not only have donor centres in fire affected areas been forced to close, but the people who donate regularly aren’t doing so. If you are someone sitting on the sidelines of this disaster, and you are eligible to donate blood, this is a super quick way you can make a difference. You can find out where to give blood, and if you're eligible to donate here.

Switch up your daily suppliers

Time it takes: 1 hour per supplier

Australia is currently the biggest exporter of coal on Earth and third largest exporter of fossil-fuels, making us one of the highest per-capita footprints in the world. This means that Australia is a huge country with a tiny population and a massively outsized impact on the world.

The choices that we make daily are those that define as a society, so be sure that you put some serious thought to where you are putting your money – especially when it comes to banking, energy and superfunds. By moving away from those organisations that are funded-by or funding coal and fossil fuels, you are saying a big ol’ ‘no!’ to all those industries that have the most detrimental impact on our carbon footprint as a nation.

Our reliance on coal as a nation isn’t a future-proof economic outlook, so as a consumer, think about your contribution here. In the words of novelist Alice Walker: ‘the most common way that people give up their power is thinking they don’t have any.’ You have the power to shake up big business in your monthly bills, so use it. Need some help making the decisions. Here are some sites to help you with your superfund, energy and bank.

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Share the task at hand

Time it takes: A regular commitment to tomorrow

As a society it’s clear that we can mobilise, rally, empathise and support-each other better than our leadership can. Plus, doing good stuff feels pretty damn good. Why not make it your monthly task to commit to doing something that contributes to the recovery and rejuvenation process? If you do anything today, diary date yourself on a monthly recurring basis using the most life-altering images, quotes and stats from the last few weeks to remind yourself of how you feel right now and the issue at hand. Plan a trip to a fire affected area, set up a regular time to connect with like-minded individuals to mobilise shared action and support, attend rallies, write letters, buy a bird bath, donate your time and use your platforms to inspire others to consider their choices and perspectives. Let’s talk about what we love and the joy that comes with making better choices, not what we hate. Let’s flood our feeds with actionables. Let’s use the velocity of the millions of people who have shown incredible humanity, kindness and generosity to keep momentum and create longstanding change.

Our goal as a society is to continue to voice our opinions, rally support and challenge our opponents on an ongoing and consistent basis. Amongst all the devastation, 2020 has an atmosphere of change. The future is in the hands of those who want to hold it, and never before have we felt such a collective energy of those hands.

Natalie Dean-Weymark is the co-founder of Compass Studio, a consultancy firm for for brands that do good in the world.